From one mum to another: 5 things you should hold on to even after becoming a mum

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Beauty blogger and supermum Clara Song aka dblchin shares her mummy wisdom in these practical yet loving words for expecting and new mums.

Welcoming your baby into your life is exciting and at the same time nerve-wrecking. Your world will be altered in many ways as you embrace that precious little life, but that doesn’t mean morphing yourself into an entirely different person. Let me share with you the few things you shouldn’t change just because you’ve entered into the wonder-filled phase called ‘motherhood’.

1. Do not neglect your rest time

Having a new baby is overwhelming; feeding and changing nappies alone is enough to keep you busy. In short, caring for a newborn is a job that requires you to work round the clock.

However, there will be short breaks in between where new mums could seize the chance to grab a quick nap, even for a short (but heavenly) 15-30 minutes. The advice to ‘sleep when the baby is sleeping’ seems pretty impossible because newborns are not able to do so for long hours and they are usually pretty erratic sleepers.

But once they do settle down to sleep, get right down to accomplishing some of your chores quickly and grab some shut eye thereafter, even if it is for a brief moment. This is a good time to preserve some energy for the next ‘session’.
After all, little sleep is better than no sleep at all.

2. Retain your Pre-Pregnancy Clothes

The initial months may be hard because try as you might to shed those stubborn excess pregnancy pounds, it just doesn’t seem to happen. But fret not, it took you nine long months get this big, it definitely will take a while to get back in shape.

Don’t throw away the outfits you loved dearly or give them away just because they don’t fit you now (unless, you really are due for a wardrobe overhaul).

Tip is that once your baby settles into a routine, try to incorporate a short workout once a week. Give yourself a year or so (to shed those pounds) and the chances of you being able to wear your pre-pregnancy clothes again become more achievable.

You’ll be beaming with pride the day they fit you like a glove.

3. Never skip or do away with your skincare regimen

Perhaps before having a baby you had the luxury of time to sit in front of the mirror and perform your oh-so-many-steps skincare regimen. But now, before the seat is warmed, your baby might already be wailing away for your attention.

So instead of trying to keep up with a sea of products or not using any at all, you may opt to shortlist a few good, multi-functional products that target your immediate problems.

One good product I’ve found is Bio-Oil, a specialist skincare oil that helps improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks, and uneven skin tone. Even though stretch-marks and scars can get pretty nasty after birth, Bio-Oil can help to improve the appearance of these skin problems.

This is the one skincare product that covers you from ‘top to toe’ – now that’s killing 2 (actually more!) birds with one stone. It even works as a makeup primer!

4. Don’t stop loving yourself

Ever heard of the saying ‘learn to love yourself before you love someone else’? That is so true, even for mums. Though the baby is now your everything, don’t ever stop loving yourself.

I know you tend to give it all to this little one of yours, but valuing yourself less is the gateway to post-natal blues. Don’t start self-blaming when you are unable to soothe a crying baby; babies cry all the time, that’s their primary way of communicating with you.

Instead, when your capacity to endure reaches its peak, bring your woes to someone you trust; it could be your mum, your spouse, or even a friend who is going through the same phase as you.

5. Keep your heart open to your Spouse

I’m saving the best for the last and that is to keep up the romance with the man you love so dearly.

It may take a while to rekindle the passion of those old times, but don’t ever close the door on each other over trivial matters. Ultimately, your baby is the creation of your love.

Let it go if your husband feeds or burps the baby a certain way you don’t necessarily approve of. Hey, he still manages to get the job done! Let’s not play the blame game when things don’t go as expected. Instead, take the initiative to offer small praises when your husband helps out around the house. I’m sure a simple ‘thank you’ will make him feel appreciated.

Last but not least, don’t ever belittle those pecks on the lips – they are morale boosters to keep you and the fire burning!

Bio-Oil is a skincare product that works as hard as you, mum! Winner of a whopping 309 skincare awards, it has become the “No.1 selling scar and stretch mark product in 23 countries”. That comes as no surprise as it is effective in reducing the appearance of stretch marks, uneven skin tone, and scars; combats ageing and dehydrated skin; and even works wonderfully as a makeup primer.